Staying Healthy in a Risky Environment: The New York University Medical Center Family Guide

Aware that the public is overwhelmed by--and reluctant to sort through the news on--environmental hazards, Upton and Graber have purposefully and thoroughly presented up-to-date facts on environmental health issues in an accessible and gimmickless text. The authors simply suggest the ``best steps, based on available information, that individuals and communities can take to protect their health and avoid exposure to toxic environmental agents.'' Some of the steps are familiar--quitting smoking and preventing sunburns--but also addressed are noise reduction, water treatment to kill deadly microorganisms, soil-containment testing, and minimizing exposure to pesticide residue. The book's information, much of which has been gathered and reviewed by scientists and physicians at the Nelson Institute of Environmental Medicine at New York University Medical Center, is written without excessive medical jargon or complicated scientific language. And the pages are replete with advisory tidbits, such as how to design an office to prevent back pain, how to avoid food-borne illnesses, how to reduce lead and radon levels in the home, and how to use condoms and tampons safely. Employing symptom charts, hazard profiles and detailed information sheets on common toxins, Upton and Graber make this book work as a guide for helping people regain a sense of control over their health. (Aug.)